


Fabricated Delusions

by pixiefloat117 (hopefulsilence)



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 23:33:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5394389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefulsilence/pseuds/pixiefloat117
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen is experiencing some lyrium withdrawal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fabricated Delusions

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration image: http://fuckyeahdragonage.tumblr.com/post/112645767434/batbiscuit-samson-knight-in-red-he-hath-lost

His body would twist in discomfort making the large blanket fall from its perch at his feet. Illusions filled his mind with nightmares of destruction and death. He had stopped taking the stuff ages ago, but he still had the nightmares. He would have nights where he would awake in a cold sweat trying to fight away his demons only to realize that it was just a dream. Demons can’t hurt you in a dream, right? Always, right before he felt safe again, he would wake up only to find himself alone and cold.

There were nights when he would put off sleeping as long as he could to prevent the illusions from happening. Nights like those, he would awake in strange places like his floor or even his bath but never remembering when he finally succumbed to his torpor.

Some nights, the Inquisitor would hear his muffled moans of panic and she would enter his quarters and try to comfort him. On nights when his nightmares were more horrible than he could remember, he would awake to find her nearby or holding his hand fast asleep. He knew that her intentions were well. He would place her in his bed and go about his day so that she could rest as long as she wanted.

But that nights illusion seemed to be the worst. The red glow of the lyrium haunted him. His lion head helmet was tossed aside like it was leftovers or like a discarded toy from a child. He could feel the lyrium forming and encasing his body no matter how hard he tried to fight it. The lyrium felt like it was growing out of him, he could feel his skin tearing to make room for more crystals and his vision slowly started to blur as crystals slowly formed over them. He cried out in pain and frustration as he imagined how he looked from an outsider. A broken man with lyrium slowly encasing him as he stared blankly to nowhere because there was nothing he could do. He was defeated and broken.

That was when he could see a faint glow. It started out as a delicate bead, but as it moved closer, he could see the outline of a person. He couldn’t make out a face, but he felt as though this person, this lovely angel, was right there with him. He watched as the angel extended their small and gentle hand out to caress his cheek. 

Oh, her hand was so warm. He felt calm, like he was back with the Inquisitor and they were joking about the game of wicked grace they had just played. Or like the time when he finally got the chance to confess everything to her and she felt the same. 

Behind him there was the wasteland of death and lyrium, but before him there was this beautiful angel wanting to save him. All he had to do was free his arm and reach out to her. He fought hard and finally heard the faint cracking of the lyrium crumbling; finally giving way for his arms to move. Her elegant arms wrapped him in compassion and affection; something that only the Inquisitor could provide.

As the fog lifted from his eyes, making him slowly blink awake, the light frame of his angel came into focus. Ellana had placed her hand on his scruffy cheek and a faint green glow had her cupped palm surrounded. It was then that he realized that his angel from his nightmare was her and the glow was from her magic. 

“Ellana?” he asked, tiredness filling his voice. The fragile elf nodded with a smile. “You’ve been doing this for how long?” he inquired.

“Quite a while. I hate to know that you’re in pain.” she responded lightly. 

Cullen sat up, exposing his bare chest. He knew that he shouldn’t have let her see himself like this, but at that point he didn’t care. Her delicate hand had returned back to her lap with her other one; but he needed that hand. Her took hers into his and brought them up to his lips to kiss with his rough, chapped lips.

“You’re quite amazing. Do you know that?” he questioned in a loving tone. Ellana just chuckled in response.

He knew right then and there and she was the only thing that was not a fabricated delusion of his lyrium withdrawn mind. She was his light, love, and angel. She was his everything.


End file.
